Tents and Toddlers

We are back from a week of camping at Elora Gorge, where I learned that while sleeping in a tent is exciting to a toddler, it does not mean that said sleeping will occur when it should. Several factors contributed to the "there's no such thing as bedtime" phenomenon I had the joy of experiencing night after night.

1. Tents do not get dark until after 10:00
2. Tents are very hot, requiring all window coverings to remain open, allowing tired toddlers to see you and all the exciting things they are missing by being "put to bed"
3. Tent zippers are easy to open

At home, my kids go to bed at 6:00 and 7:00. I am used to having my evenings to myself. I like to relax. I had visions of drinks around the campfire, talking with adults, while my children slept peacefully nearby after an exhausting day spent entirely outdoors with relatively no naps to speak of. I was open to extended bedtimes. I am not a shrew. Heck, we were still at the beach at 8:00 (long past regular bedtimes). Returning from the beach, I had both kids in pajamas and so tired it was all they could do to keep their eyes open on the drive back to the campsite. Yet... they would not go to sleep!

Approaching 10:00, I was so uptight (not to mention, bewildered) that I stopped enjoying myself temporarily. Having my kids awake at that hour was unheard of. At home, when routines are disturbed the consequences are almost always disastrous. I was afraid to contemplate what the morning would bring. Tiny, terrible monsters, I was sure. But they woke up early (very early) and seemed to be fine. In fact, they were fine all day. Until bedtime. And one would think that I would have learned to accept the fact that they would be up late and that was okay. But no. I had another near-meltdown. And in the morning, they were fine again. I guess being in a novel environment (not to mention having all other routines thrown out the window) curtailed the usual outcome of an extremely short night's sleep.

The kids were having a great time. They were no worse for wear for staying up so late. I was the only one suffering, and at my own insistence. But now, the power of hindsight has allowed me to recognize I just needed to go with the flow. So that's what I plan to do on our next camping trip - a few short weeks away.

Although I'm also secretly hoping that their experience and comfort with sleeping in a tent will aid them in sleeping earlier! Oh, and for the record, Jacob is still weaned.